Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
A man identified in media reports as Ahmed Usman has been arrested by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command over allegations that he abducted, sexually assaulted and filmed a nursing mother in Abuja after she reportedly failed to meet repayment obligations on a ₦600,000 loan.
The arrest followed an investigation by police operatives attached to the Lugbe Division after the victim reported the alleged incident in November 2026.
According to the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the suspect allegedly targeted widows and financially vulnerable women through money-lending arrangements that required borrowers to make weekly interest payments.
The police said the latest incident involved a nursing mother who reportedly experienced difficulties meeting an agreed repayment after poor sales affected her business.
The case has raised concerns about the alleged exploitation of financially vulnerable borrowers, sexual violence, intimidation and the use of intimate recordings to threaten victims.
Police Describe Alleged Loan-Lending Practices
According to Adeh, the suspect allegedly operated a lending arrangement that involved providing money to widows and other women considered financially vulnerable, before requiring them to make regular interest payments.
In the case under investigation, the woman reportedly borrowed ₦600,000 from the suspect under an arrangement that required her to pay ₦30,000 every week as interest, in addition to repaying the principal.
The police spokesperson said the woman encountered financial difficulties after experiencing poor sales in her business. This reportedly affected her ability to meet the agreed weekly payment.
When she could not raise the full amount, she allegedly approached the suspect with ₦24,000, which was the money available to her at the time.
However, the situation reportedly escalated after she met the lender.
Adeh alleged that the suspect pushed the woman into his Toyota vehicle, threatened her with a knife and drove her to an isolated location behind the chief’s palace in the Lugbe area of Abuja.
The police said the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted the woman at the location.
The allegations also include forcing her to remove her clothes and recording videos of her naked body, including intimate parts.
According to the police account reported by Punch, the suspect allegedly threatened to kill the woman if she failed to meet his financial demands.
The victim reportedly managed to raise the demanded money and transferred it to the suspect before subsequently reporting the incident to the police.
The allegations have placed the circumstances surrounding the loan arrangement, the reported threats and the alleged recording of the victim at the centre of the investigation. Punch Newspapers +1
Suspect Admits Filming Woman During Police Parade
During his parade by the FCT Police Command, the suspect reportedly admitted lending the woman ₦600,000 and collecting weekly payments of ₦30,000.
He also acknowledged asking the woman to remove her clothes, recording her naked and engaging in sexual activity with her.
In an account published by Punch, the suspect described how he invited the woman to meet him after she failed to make the agreed payment.
His statements during the police parade form part of the publicly reported evidence surrounding the case. However, the full circumstances of the alleged sexual assault remain subject to police investigation and any subsequent judicial proceedings.
The suspect also addressed his conduct during the police operation that led to his arrest.
According to his account, he drove away with a police officer in his vehicle but later realised that the officer was the Divisional Police Officer (DPO). He said he subsequently made a U-turn and returned the officer.
He reportedly pleaded for forgiveness during the police interview, expressing regret and asking for another opportunity.
His statements have attracted attention because of the seriousness of the allegations and the circumstances under which the woman reportedly encountered him.
Police Explain How the Suspect Was Arrested
The FCT Police Command said its operatives tracked the suspect following the complaint and subsequently arrested him.
According to a report by Channels Television, the police traced the suspect to the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) area of Lugbe.
The command said the suspect attempted to evade arrest after sighting the police operatives, prompting officers to pursue and intercept his vehicle before he could reach the expressway.
He was subsequently taken into police custody for further investigation.
The police also indicated that preliminary investigations suggested the suspect had allegedly engaged in predatory lending practices targeting women, including widows and other vulnerable individuals.
The investigation is expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the allegations, including whether other women may have experienced similar treatment.
FIDA Joins Investigation
The FCT Police Command disclosed that it was working with the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in handling the case.
FIDA is a women’s rights organisation involved in promoting women’s rights, access to justice and legal protection.
Its involvement is significant given the nature of the allegations, particularly the reported sexual assault, intimidation and recording of the victim’s intimate images.
The collaboration may help address legal and victim-protection concerns as investigators work to establish the facts.
The police have also urged residents who experience abuse, threats, intimidation or blackmail to report such incidents rather than remain silent.
The FCT Police Commissioner, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, condemned violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation and cyberbullying, according to the police statement reported by Channels Television.
The command said the suspect remained in custody while investigations continued.
Why the Abuja Case Matters
The incident raises broader concerns about the vulnerability of people who depend on informal lending arrangements to support their businesses and meet urgent financial needs.
Small business owners, traders and individuals without access to affordable formal credit may sometimes rely on private moneylenders to obtain funds.
Although lending arrangements can provide access to emergency financing, allegations of threats, coercion, sexual exploitation and blackmail highlight the potential dangers when financial relationships are abused.
The reported weekly interest payment of ₦30,000 on a ₦600,000 loan also raises questions about the terms and practices involved in informal lending.
However, the police investigation must establish the precise agreement between the parties and determine whether any additional offences were committed.
More importantly, a failure to meet a loan repayment obligation does not give a lender the right to use violence, intimidation or sexual coercion against a borrower.
The alleged recording and threats involving the victim’s intimate images also highlight the serious risks associated with image-based sexual abuse.
Such incidents can expose victims to further intimidation, humiliation and psychological distress, particularly where intimate recordings are threatened with public distribution.
The protection of victims’ identities and private information is therefore essential as the case progresses.
For the nursing mother involved, the priority should be access to appropriate protection, legal support and other assistance while the authorities investigate the allegations.
What Happens Next?
The FCT Police Command said investigations into the case were ongoing and that it was working with FIDA.
According to the command’s position reported by Channels Television, the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of investigations.
The next stage will involve establishing the evidence surrounding the alleged abduction, sexual assault, threats and recording of the victim.
Investigators may also need to establish whether the suspect was involved in similar incidents involving other borrowers.
Any additional complaints could help the police determine whether the alleged conduct was an isolated incident or part of a wider pattern of abuse.
Until the investigation is concluded and the matter is determined by a competent court, the suspect remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
For now, the case has drawn attention to the intersection of financial vulnerability, gender-based violence and the exploitation of women through alleged predatory lending practices in Abuja.
Reporting Discrepancies and Outstanding Questions
There are differences in the published accounts concerning the suspect’s name and the date the complaint was lodged.
While Punch identifies the suspect as Ahmed Usman and reports that the incident was reported on November 5, Channels Television identifies him as Usman Mohammed and gives November 6 as the date of the police complaint.
These differences should be clarified through the police command’s official records. Weng Global has therefore avoided treating the two reported names as independently confirmed identities.
The police have not publicly established through the reports reviewed whether additional victims have come forward or whether the alleged recordings were distributed to other people.
The outcome of the investigation and any formal court proceedings will be important in determining the full extent of the alleged offences.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Federal Capital Territory Police Command – Statement attributed to Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh, as reported by Channels Television.
- Punch Newspapers – Abuja Man Nabbed for Allegedly Raping, Filming Nursing Mother.
- NUJ FCT – Police Arrest Man Over Alleged Sexual Assault and Filming of Woman in Abuja.
